Rain-water cut-off



(No Model.)

M. N. 00E. RAIN WATER GUT-OPP.

Pate ntedApr. 21,1891.

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NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARIO N. COE, OF NElV ORLEANS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO EDVARD DE 'NEVEU, OF MONROE, LOUISIANA.

RAIN-WATER CUT-OFF.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 450,909, dated April 21, 1891.

Application filed September 19, 1890. Serial No. 365,456. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern: turned up, as best shown in Fig. 3, to form a Be it known that I, MARION N. COE,of New seat (6. A gate B is fiXed at the lower end of Orleans,-in the parish of Orleans and State of the opening to the rod 0, which extends trans- Louisiana, have invented anew and Improved versely through the conductor, the said gate 5 Rainater Out-Off, of which the following having its upper end I) beveled, as shown, so is a full, clear, and exact description. that it will lie flatwise against the bottom of My invention relates to improvements in the conductor and will cause the water to flow rain-water cut-offs, such as are used to regureadily over it, and the gate is also provided late the flow of water from the roofs of buildwith depending side flanges l), which close 1o ings to adjacent cisterns. It is well known around the seat a. The rod 0 is pivoted in that between rains quite a quantity of dirt, the conductorA, and the outer end of the rod dust, and other refuse will collect upon the has fixed thereto a lever D, which extends at roof of abuilding, and when the rain descends right angles to the rod, and the long end of this refuse is washed through the conductors the lever has a weight D,adj ustably secured 15 and into the cistern. thereon, so that the weight will normally tilt The objects of my invention are, first, to the lever and rod and raise the gate B, thus provide a cut-off that will prevent the flow of closing the conductor and allowing the water water; from sheds or roofs into the tanks or to flow through the opening A. cisterns until a snfficient quantity of rain has The short end of the lever D is provided 0 2o fallen to wash the deposit of dust and dirt with an eye (I, through which extends vertifrom the roof; second, to provide acut-off that cally the rod E, the upper end of the rod bewill act automatically and with certainty, and, ing provided with a head E, which prevents third, to provideacut-offwl1ich,while serving it from dropping through the eye d. The the above purposes, will also prevent the paslower end of the rod E is formed into an eye 2 5 sage of pigeons, rats, roaches, and other ine, which is hooked to a corresponding eye in sects into the cistern. the prolonged end F of the frame F. The To this end my invention consists in cerframe F comprises two parallel bars f, one of tain features of construction and combinawhich is prolonged to connect with the vertions of parts, which will be hereinafter detical rod E, as described, and the frame is So 30 scribed and claimed. pivoted horizontally on the bracket G, which Reference is to be had to the accompanying is fixed to the spout H, connecting with the drawings, forming a part of this specification, conductor, as described below. The frame F in which similar letters of reference indicate is provided with a smaller frame f, which is corresponding parts in all the figures. slotted transversely, as shown, and which is 8 5 5 Figure 1 is a broken side elevation of the mounted loosely on the parallel bars comdevice embodying my invention, with parts prising the frame F, so that it may slide easily 0f the mechanism in vertical section. Fig. 2 thereon. The frame F is also provided with is atransverse section of the same on theline a transverse plate which is fixed thereto a: as in Fig. 1, and with the spout broken away. and which is pivotally connected with the 40 Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section on the bracket G. The frame F will thus swing verliney y of Fig. 2. Fig. at is abroken sectional tically upon its support, and near one end of plan of the device. Fig. 5 is a vertical crossthe frame and above the prolonged end F is section on the line of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a a study, which projects from the side of the detail plan view of one of the weights used spout ll and limits the upward movement of 45 in connection with the device, and Fig. 7 is a the frame. The spout II is attached to the plan view of the swinging frame. under side of the conductor A, the spout be- The conductor A is of the usual construcing of the same width as the conductor and tion, except for theopening and gate therein, having an enlarged portion H, which enables and leads from the roof of the building to a it to catch all the water dropping through the 5c cistern. In the bottom of the conductor is an opening A and to also afford room for the opening A, and the edges of the opening are water-wheel, as described below.

Fixed to the side of the enlarged portion H of the spout above the frame F is a rectangular frame K, through which extend transversely the shafts L and M, which carry the drums L and M, respectively. The shaft L has a pinion Z fixed thereto which meshes with a gear-wheel m on the shaft M, and a slower motion is thus transmitted from the shaft L to the shaft M. The drum M has a rope N fixed thereto and adapted to be wound thereon, the said rope extending downwardly through the slotted frame f and having at its lower end a weight 0, and additional weights may be attached to the rope, if

desired. The weight 0 has a central perforation to fit the rope and has a radial slot 0 extending from the central perforation to the circumference of the-weight, the said slot being diagonal to the plane surfaceof the weight, so that it may be easily slipped upon the rope, and when once in position it cannot accidentally be removed. The shaft L extends through the enlarged portion H of the spout H, and fixed to the shaft is a waterwheel P, the said water-wheel being arranged beneath the upper portion of the opening A and having a series of curved blades P around its periphery, said blades having central perforations p to permit the escape of water.

While I find the above-described waterwheel to be well adapted to operate the device, still it is not absolutely essential, and any suitable wheel may be substituted.

The operation of the device is as follows: The weight D actuates the lever D and rod 0 and normally holds the upper end of the gate B in an elevated position so as'to close the conductor A and thereby prevent anything from getting into the cistern through the conductor, and the weight 0 will normally unwind the rope N from the drum M, so that the rope will be extended its full length. hen the water falls upon the roof with which the conductor is connected, it will flow through the conductor and through the opening A upon the water-wheel P, thus turning the water-wheel, which will turn the shaft L, the pinion Z, gear-wheel m, shaft M, and drum M, thus winding the rope upon the drum, and when the weight 0 reaches the slotted frame f it raises said frame, and the free end of the frame F, connected therewith, thus depressing the elongated end F of the frame F, actuating the rod E and causing the enlarged end E of the said rod to move the lever D and close the gate 13, and when the gate B is closed the water flowing through the conductor and above the gate will hold it closed. As soon as the gate is closed and the water excluded from the wheel the weight 0 unwinds the rope N from the drum M, and the weight D, operating on the lever D and rod 0, when the flow through the conductor ceases, again raises the gate P, and the device is ready for another operation. It will be seen that the length of time during which the water runs to waste through the spout H may be regulated by the length of rope N, and if it is desired to have the gate closed quickly the rope N may be detached from the drum M and attached to the drum L, which moves much faster.

The length of time during which the water runs to waste may be changed according as the roof with which the conductor is connected is steep or flat, as a steep roof will be washed much more quickly than a fiat roof, and hence the gate should be more quickly closed.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a rain-water cut-off, the combination, with a conductor having an opening therein, of a hinged and counterbalanced gate in the conductor adapted to alternately close the conductor andthe opening therein, a waterwheel mounted adjacent to the opening, and a connection between the water-wheel and gate for operating the latter to close it over the said opening and cut off the water from the wheel, substantially as described.

2. In a rain-water cut-off, the combination, with a conductor having an opening in the under side thereof, of a rod mounted transversely in the conductor, a gate fixed to the rod so as to close over the opening, a waterwheel mounted beneath the opening in the conductor, and a gear-and-lever mechanism connecting the water-wheel shaft with the gate-rod, so that the gate will be closed by the movement of the water-wheel, substantially as described.

3. In a rain-water cut-off, the combination, with a conductor having an opening in the under side thereof, of a gate hinged in the conductor so as to close over the opening, a water-wheel mounted beneath the opening in the conductor, a gear-and-levkar mechanism connecting the water-wheel shaft with the gate, so as to close the same by the operation of the water-Wheel, and a device for automatically opening the gate, substantially as described.

4. In a rain-water cut-off, the combination, with a conductor having an opening in the under side thereof, of a rod extending transversely through the conductor, a gate fixed to the rod so as to close over the opening in the conductor, a weighted lever fixed to one end of the rod, a water-wheel mounted beneath the opening in the conductor, and a gear-andlever mechanism connecting the water-wheel shaft with the weighted lever, substantially as described.

5. A rain-water cut-01f comprising a 0011 ductor having an opening in the under side thereof, a gate hinged in the conductor at one end of the opening so as to close over the same, a weighted lever connected with the gate, so as to normally hold it in open position, a water-wheel mounted beneath the opening in the conductor, a drum fixed to the waterwheel shaft, a weighted rope connected therewith, a frame pivoted horizontally in the path of the rope-Weight, and a rod connecting one end of the frame with the weighted lever attached to the gate, substantially as described.

6. In a rain-water cut-oft, the combination, with the conductor having an opening in the under side thereof provided with a seat, as shown, of a gate hinged at one end of the opening, said gate having its free end beveled and having depending side flanges to close over the seat in the conductor, and means for closing the gate, substantially as described.

7. In a rain-water cut-off, the combination, with the gate-rod and gate and the weighted lever attached thereto, the revoluble drum, and the weighted rope attached to the drum, of the frame pivoted horizontally beneath the drum and connecting at one end with the weighted lever, as shown, and the slotted frame arranged to move longitudinally on the swinging frame and guide the weighted rope, substantially as described.

8. A rain-water cut-off comprising a conductor having an opening in the under side thereof, a gate hinged at thelower end of the opening so as to close over the same, a wastespout attached to the conductor beneath the opening and provided with an enlarged upper end, as shown, a water-wheel pivoted transversely in the enlarged end of the spout under the opening of the conductor, and a gear-and-lever mechanism connecting the water-Wheel shaft with the gate and adapted to close the same and cut off the water from the 3 5 wheel, substantially as described.

MARION N. OOE. 

